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MST3K 212 - Godzilla vs. Megalon

Revision as of 01:46, 11 November 2017 by IAmMaxB (Message Wall | contribs) (→‎Obscure References)
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“ Rex Dart: Eskimo Spy! ”
- Joel, Crow, & Servo


The Movie

File:GodzillaMega.PNG

Godzilla vs. Megalon

Synopsis

In the year 1973, the most recent underground nuclear test, set off near the Aleutians, sends shockwaves as far south as Monster Island, disturbing the monsters, causing Anguirus to fall/burrow into a fault opened up by the consequential earthquakes and Rodan to fly off, while Godzilla decides to stay put.

For years, Seatopia, an undersea civilization, has been heavily affected by this nuclear testing conducted by the surface nations of the world. Upset by these tests, the Seatopians plan to unleash their civilization's beetle-like god, Megalon, to destroy the surface world out of vengeance.

On the surface, an inventor named Goro Ibuki, his brother Rokuro and their friend Hiroshi Jinkawa are off on an outing near a lake when Seatopia makes itself known to the Earth by drying up the lake the trio was relaxing nearby and using it as a base of operation (unknown to our heroes.) As they return home they are ambushed by agents of Seatopia who are trying to steal Jet Jaguar, a humanoid robot under construction by the trio of inventors. However the Agents' first attempt is botched and they are forced to flee to safety.

Godzillamega2

"Say, these Klan meetings have really lightened up."

Some time later, Jet Jaguar is completed but the trio of inventors are knocked unconscious by the returning Seatopian agents. The agents's plan is to use Jet Jaguar to guide and direct Megalon to destroy whatever city Seatopia commands. Goro and Rokuro are sent to be killed, while Hiroshi is taken hostage. Megalon is finally released to the surface while Jet Jaguar is put under the control of the Seatopians and is used to guide Megalon to attack Tokyo with the Japan Self Defense Forces failing to defeat the monster. Eventually, the trio of heroes manage to escape their situation with the Seatopians and reunite to devise a plan to send Jet Jaguar to get Godzilla's help using Jet Jaguar's secondary control system.

After uniting with Japan's Defense Force, Goro manages to regain control of Jet Jaguar and sends the robot to Monster Island to bring Godzilla to fight Megalon. Without a guide to control its actions, Megalon flails around relentlessly and aimlessly fighting with the Defense Force and destroying the outskirts of Tokyo. The Seatopians learn of Jet Jaguar's turn and thus send out a distress call to the Nebula M aliens (from the previous film) to send Gigan to assist them.

Godzillamega3

"One problem, though: you caught us in the middle of our production ofLa Cage aux Folles."

As Godzilla journeys to fight Megalon, Jet Jaguar programs into a safeguard mode and grows to gigantic proportions to face Megalon himself until Godzilla arrives. The battle is roughly at a standstill between robot and monster, until Gigan arrives and both Megalon and Gigan double team Jet Jaguar. Godzilla finally arrives to assist Jet Jaguar and the odds become evened. After a long and brutal fight, Gigan and Megalon both retreat and Godzilla and Jet Jaguar shake hands on a job well done. Godzilla returns to Monster Island, and Jet Jaguar returns to his previous, human-sized state and reunites with his inventors.

Information

  • The first episode to be released on DVD and immediately replaced due to copyright issues. See Video Release Notes below.
  • Filmed in three weeks.
  • The only Godzilla film to receive a television premiere on a major U.S network, as NBC aired it on prime time television in the summer of 1977, where it was hosted by actor John Belushi dressed in a Godzilla costume.
  • The Military mobilization scene, Megalon's attack on Tokyo and the military attack on Megalon are all completely comprised of stock footage from other Toho films, those same arrangements of stock footage were in fact recycled from Godzilla vs. Gigan which was released a year earlier, The mobilization sequence, was comprised of footage from Invasion of Astro-Monster, The Mysterians, War of the Gargantuas, and Destroy All Monsters. The Shot of Godzilla's shoulder being sawed open was also from Godzilla vs Gigan, and you can clearly see that Godzilla in that scene looks clearly different from Godzilla in the rest of the movie.
  • The scene that shows Megalon arm swatting planes out of the sky was actually stock footage of Gigan's hooked claw destroying planes from Godzilla vs Gigan (1972).
  • Megalon's ray beam is animated the same way as King Ghidorah's gravity beams. This was made to ensure that stock footage of the destruction of Tokyo from Ghidorah: The Three Headed Monster, and Monster Zero. films could easily be interspliced between shots of Megalon firing his beam.
  • The destruction scenes also include footage from Godzilla vs. Hedorah with the Megalons ray beam added, and completely original destruction footage filmed for Godzilla vs Gigan, That actually some of the scenes with with what supposed to be Megalon are actually Gigan. And Megalo'ns ray is actually King Ghidorah's Gravity beams destroying buildings.
  • This film was originally produced in 1973 but was not released in the United States until 1976. A small US distributor, Cinema Shares, hoped to ride on the popularity of 'Dino De Laurentiis' 's highly promoted production King Kong (1976). This became especially apparent in the US poster art, which depicted Godzilla and Megalon battling each other on top of the World Trade Center towers.
  • Godzilla vs Megalon was originally released briefly by Cinema Shares almost uncut. Eventually, more cuts were made, supposedly to keep a "G"-rating from the MPAA. Edits include
    • The removal opening credits, except for the title and a "Produced by Toho-Eizo Co., Ltd." credit.
    • Rokuro being abducted by Seatopian agents, who pull him into their car.
    • The Seatopian agents knocking out Rokuro and barging inside.
    • Scenes in the container truck that showed pin-ups on the back wall. They are Playboy centerfolds of Deanna Baker and Gloria Root.
    • A scene of the bearded Caucasian Seatopian agent being thrown down a cliff by the truck drivers.
    • The lead Seatopian is hit in the face with the model jet, causing him to bleed.
    • The same Seatopian agent is crushed by a boulder hurled by Megalon.
  • In the German version of the movie, the robot Jet Jaguar is called King Kong. According to rumors, they even claim that he is supposed to be the giant ape wearing a robot suit, but that is false. The dub merely calls him King Kong, but no reference is made to him being anything other than a human-built robot. The reason for this is that the distributors probably wanted to ride the popularity of the King Kong brand. Curiously, the evil robot Mechagodzilla from the following movie, who has no connection to the benevolent Jet Jaguar, is also called King Kong in Germany.

The Episode

Host Segments

Joeljiffy

Joel dresses up as Jiffy Pop

Prologue: Joel and the Bots host a stereotypical morning magazine show.

Invention Exchange (Segment One): After Joel attempts to explain what pain feels like to the Bots, the crew of SOL and the Mads both come up with easy-to-make Halloween costumes.

MST3k- Godzilla Vs

The Bots' dark take on Orville Redenbacher

Segment Two: To redirect Joel's attention from Naughty Pictures, Crow and Tom come up with their own Godzilla style monsters, giving them increasingly implausable and flowery abilities as they attempt to one-up each other.

Segment Three: Joel and the Bots use a James Bond style theme song on keyboard and footage from the movie to make a montage based on their "Rex Dart, Eskimo Spy" riff.

Segment Four: Crow and Tom do their own increasingly dark take on the Orville Redenbacher grandfather and grandson commericals.

Segment Five (Closing) : Prompted by the cool arms the monsters had in the movie and a request by the Bots, Joel gives Crow and Tom new arms, and the Jet Jaguar fight song is translated. In Deep 13, Frank's game of Super Mario ends in tragedy.

Stinger: Godzilla leaps/falls off a cliff into the sea.

Frankgodzilla

Geordi and Foosball

Other Notes

Trivia

  • This episode marks the debut of Joel's maroon jumpsuit, which he would wear in every subsequent episode through his departure in Mitchell, as well as his return appearance in Soultaker, and at the end of the Kickstarter telethon.
  • The scene of Godzilla sliding on his tail would appear during the opening credits for the remainder of Joel's tenure.
  • 40 minutes into the episode, Crow steals Servo's line by interjecting "I'm huge!" during a close-up of the protagonist.
  • The button on the desk breaks when Movie Sign hits the first time.
  • The "Orville Popcorn" sketch is one of Michael J. Nelson's Favorite segments. He's said that it was "Odd, overwritten, and surprisingly mean, it takes on a weak opponent and pummels him mercilessly." According to Amazing Colossal Episode Guide, as the sketch was being shot Jim Mallon was on the phone with BBI's attorney, who informed them that they couldn't air the sketch without risk of getting sued. The cast and writers then decided to change the name of the character from Orville Redenbacher to Orville Popcorn and shot it that way. Later they were told that they were every bit at risk as they were before.
  • Here are the real lyrics to the song at the end:
    • Japanese: Hito ga tsukutta robotto da kedo,
      Jetto Jagaa, Jetto Jagaa,
      Yatta, Jetto Jagaa
      Yuke, yuke, heiwa o mamoru tame,
      Minna mo odoroku yuuki wo miseru
      Gojira to Jagaa de panchi, panchi, panchi
      Nakuna, bokura mo ganbarou
    • English: You’re a robot made by humans, but
      Jet Jaguar, Jet Jaguar,
      You did it, Jet Jaguar
      Go, go to protect peace
      We are all surprised at the courage you show
      Godzilla and Jaguar punch, punch, punch
      Don’t cry, let’s do our best
  • Ranked 19th in the Top 100 Episodes as chosen by backers of the Bring Back MST3K Kickstarter.

Goofs

  • Joel says "Someday Johnny Cash will write a song about that," in reference to a ring of fire on the screen. Johnny Cash didn't write "Ring of Fire," however. The songwriters were his wife June Carter Cash and Merle Kilgore.

Callbacks

  • “That monster does not know the meaning of ‘around’ ” and when somebody mentions evacuating, Joel says “sounds painful,” something Crow said often in the KTMA season.
  • The “explaining pain to Crow” bit is not new. Joel does the same thing to Gypsy in episode K03- Star Force: Fugitive Alien II while trying to explain what taking drugs is like.
  • "Hi-keeba!" (Women of the Prehistoric Planet)

Obscure References

  • "Roxanne!" "You don't have to wear the red dress tonight!"
This comes up many times. It's a reference to the song "Roxanne" by The Police. The Brains misquote the song slightly, as the lyrics never mention a red dress. (The line is always either "You don't have to wear that dress tonight" or "You don't have to put on the red light".)
  • "And then we'll talk to Moms Mabley..."
Moms Mabley was an African-American comedian who began her career on the so-called "chitlin circuit", then became popular among white audiences during the 1960s.
  • "A little problem getting the Rosey Grier head to take..."
A reference to the 1972 movie The Thing with Two Heads.
  • "I am Iron Man!"
Joel is quoting the Black Sabbath song "Iron Man". It had no established connection with the superhero Iron Man until 2008 when an instrumental version of the song was used during the closing credits of the first Iron Man feature film.
  • "Kids, reading opens up a rainbow..."
Frank is alluding to Reading Rainbow, an educational TV show hosted by LeVar Burton (whose w:c:memory-alpha:Star Trek: The Next Generation character Frank is wearing an easy-to-make Halloween costume of as he says this).
  • "Huh, Spiny Norman!"
Spiny Norman was a a giant hedgehog alluded to in the Monty Python sketch "Piranha Brothers".
  • "And now appearing on our stage, Toho Ezio [sic]!"
Crow is imitating Ed Sullivan's introduction of the Italian puppet character Topo Gigio.
  • "A quake?" "No, Quisp!"
A reference to Quisp and Quake, two breakfast-cereal advertising characters from the 1960s.
  • "This is better than the Dells!"
The Wisconsin Dells is a tourist area known for its amphibious river tours and vast selection of water slide-based theme parks (and the home of Tommy Bartlett's Water Show!).
  • "Never before in the annals of kid-dom had a toy been sucked into the Whirlpool of Death!"
Crow is imitating the narrator of A Christmas Story.
  • "We're gonna need a Tuck's Pad the size of Tokyo!"
A reference to Tuck's Medicated Pads, a product used to treat hemorrhoids.
  • "Welcome to Death Valley! The driver's either gone or he's missing!"
Death Valley Days is a syndicated western show that Ronald Reagan once hosted. The "driver is missing or dead" line is from the Phantom Creeps chapter in Episode 206. The line is spoken in a voiceover that sounds like Ronald Reagan's voice, to which Crow responds by saying "Welcome to Death Valley Days." This riff is made in many episodes.
  • (singing) "Mach Go Go Go!"
Mach Go Go Go! is the original 1967 Japanese animated series that would be dubbed in the United States as Speed Racer (which was mentioned in the riff comment prior to this).
  • "Well, at least they have Yusef Lateef on the flute here!"
Yusef Lateef is a musician who specializes in jazz influenced by traditional Asian music.
  • "I think it's a Blue moon out
A blue moon is an additional full moon that appears in a year instead of the usual 12. In some very rare cases the moon can actually appear to be blue.
  • "I think It was shot "blue for night"
A riff on the cinematic technique "day for night", where a scene is filmed during the day and in post production is darkened so it appears to be night.
  • "According to Dr. Hellstrom, these bugs will take over the world!"
A reference to the 1971 movie The Hellstrom Chronicle.
  • "They've just created Jennifer Beals."
Jennifer Beals is an actress best known – especially on MST3K – for the movie Flashdance .
  • "Mine is a meltdown of all the Terrytoon characters!"
The Terrytoons studio is best remembered for animating the original Mighty Mouse cartoons.
  • "I think they get the Nashville Network!"
The Nashville Network, which eventually evolved into [[Spike TV]], specialized in country music-related programming.
  • "I'm Dorf!"
Dorf is a diminutive character played by Tim Conway in a series of comedy videos.
  • "I'll be in Atlantic City next week with funnyman Jimmie Walker!"
Jimmie Walker is best known for playing J.J. on Good Times.
  • "Meanwhile, B.J. and the Bear go to Japan!"
B.J. and the Bear was a TV series about a trucker and his pet chimpanzee that aired from 1979 to 1981.
  • "...in Breaking Training!"
The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training was the second movie in the Bad News Bears series, followed by The Bad News Bears Go to Japan.
  • "This is no place for a convertible!"
Crow is quoting Phil Silvers in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
  • "Gary Busey is back on the bike!"
Actor Gary Busey suffered severe head injuries in a motorcycle accident in the late 1980s.
  • "Winged freak...Wait 'til they get a load of me!"
Joel is quoting Jack Nicholson as the Joker in the 1989 Batman movie.
  • "Pink Lady and Jeff are back!"
Pink Lady and Jeff was a very short-lived TV series featuring comedian Jeff Altman and the Japanese musical duo Pink Lady.
  • "They're going all the way to make sure McCartney doesn't bring any more dope into the country."
A reference to a 1980 incident in which Paul McCartney was arrested in Tokyo after customs officials found marijuana in his luggage.
  • "Stand By for Action!"
The opening line of the credits for the Gerry Anderson Supermarionation series Stingray.
  • "Uh...someone can tell Raymond Burr he's late"
Raymond Burr was a Canadian-American actor famous for the Perry Mason TV Series, but is better known to Godzilla fans for appearing in Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, the "Americanized" version of Godzilla (1954).
  • "Hey look, it's Ugly John!"
Ugly John was a character on the TV series M*A*S*H who was written out of the show after its first season.
  • "'Saturday the 14th'. I hate that movie!"
Saturday the 14th was a parody of horror movies released in 1981.
  • "Then, on an episode of 'Then Came the Courtship of Bronson's Father'..."
Then Came Bronson was a very short-lived TV series from 1969-1970. The Courtship of Eddie's Father was a more successful TV series starring Bill Bixby.
  • "What about Captain Eo?"
Captain Eo was a 3-D movie starring Michael Jackson that was shown at Disney theme parks during the 1980s and '90s and was also reopened again in 2010 to commemorate Jackson's death.
  • "I have come here to chew sushi and kick butt, and I'm all out of sushi!"
A parody of a very famous line spoken by Roddy Piper's character from the 1988 John Carpenter cult film They Live.
  • "You're never gonna find me in a Sunn Classic picture!"
During the 1970s, Sunn Classic Pictures was a film distribution company that specialized in "documentaries" about the paranormal.
  • "Next time I say we go to Bolivia, we go to Bolivia!"
A quote from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
  • "I can't believe it, Wally Karbo!"
Wally Karbo was part owner and ring announcer for the (Minneapolis based) American Wresting Association.
  • "Isn't that from 'Killdozer'?"
Killdozer is a short story by Theodore Sturgeon about a bulldozer that develops a violent mind of its own. In 1974, it was adapted as a made-for-TV movie.
  • "Don't touch my bags if you please, Mr. Customs Man."
A line from "Coming into Los Angeles", a 1969 song by Arlo Guthrie.
  • "I am the god of hellfire!"
A quote from the Arthur Brown song "Fire", which was later covered by Prodigy.
  • "What manner of 'bot are you who can conjure flame without flint or tinder?"
Crow is paraphrasing a line from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Video Release

  • Commercially released on DVD by Rhino Entertainment as part of The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Volume 10, a 4-DVD set with Swamp Diamonds, Teen-Age Strangler and The Giant Spider Invasion. This episode was considered by many to unlikely to ever be released due to the perceived rights issues with the Godzilla films, and when Collection 10 was discontinued shortly after release the inclusion of this movie was the cause, borne out by the fact that Volume 10 Version Two is identical save for the replacement of this movie with The Giant Gila Monster.
  • The DVD includes a Photo Gallery, featuring behind the scenes and cast/crew images from all eras of the show.
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